The Tank

I grew up going to Mamaw and Pawpaw’s house quite often. When my sisters got to go out there and do something fun I always wanted to tag along. One day my Pawpaw decided to borrow a canoe from a friend and take two of my older sisters out on the tank (that’s what Texans call a pond or small area of water). I was devastated because there was only room for three. In my sadness, my Pawpaw looked at me and said, “We’ll make a special trip just you and me.” My eyes got big and excited. Not only would I get to go, but I got my Pawpaw all to myself for an entire afternoon.

During my older sisters trip in the canoe, they came back with some great stories of how one of my sisters almost capsized the canoe by standing up and how they caught 20 fish (they were small). So excited for my own trip I started imagining all the fun Pawpaw and I would have.

When the day came, I grabbed my gear and we made it down to the tank. Careful, not to try and capsize the canoe, we climb in and get paddling into the middle of the tank (it only took maybe 2 minutes of paddling). I drop my line in and within minutes I was already catching fish!

Proudly showing my Pawpaw I said, “How many did the girls catch?”
He said, “twenty.”
That was it, with determination written all over my face, I said, “I guess I’ll just have to do better than that.”

So we did. To my PawPaw’s surprise, I was catching fish left and right (probably caught the same one a few times). Nearing the end of our time together out there I had finally caught fish number twenty-two. With great pride on my face and a story worthy of being told, I looked at my Pawpaw and said, “I think we should do a victory lap.” So we took off a blazin’ for a three-lap victory around the tank.

You see, I don’t like to eat fish. I dislike anything that comes out of water actually, but this day wasn’t about keeping the fish to eat. This day was about time spent with one of the greatest men that I have ever known. I love, adore, and cherish the memories we have been able to make in our lifetime here on earth. I will always cherish the time we spend together and hope that I may never take it for granted because I know our time here on earth will come to an end.

There’s something special about that tank and the memories I have been able to make as this story is only one of many. So special in fact, I share this tank with everyone now. Not in person, but in the representation of Workman By Design’s logo. Yup, that tree, and tank scene is the exact place that I caught the twenty-two fish that day.